T.A. Barron grew up in Colorado ranch country and traveled widely as a Rhodes Scholar. He worked for (and ultimately chaired) the company that imports Swiss Army Knives—and then in 1989 surprised his business partners by changing careers to become a fulltime writer and conservationist. His highly acclaimed work has been translated into 12 languages and garnered the Nautilus Award, given to books that promote a better world, plus many honors from the American Library Association and the International Reading Association. His novels include: The Lost Years of Merlin epic (currently being developed into a feature film); The Great Tree of Avalon (a New York Times best seller series); Merlin’s Dragon (a new trilogy); and others including Tree Girl and The Ancient One. He also writes highly acclaimed picture books for young readers, such as High as a Hawk, as well as nonfiction such as The Hero’s Trail, packed with true stories of heroic kids from diverse backgrounds.

In 2000, he founded a national award to honor outstanding young people who help the environment: The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes (which he named after his mother) recognizes extraordinary, public spirited young people of all descriptions, in the hope that their examples will inspire others. His documentary film, Dream Big, profiles seven kids who have won the Barron Prize. In addition, he serves on many boards—including Princeton University, where he helped to create the Princeton Environmental Institute; and The Wilderness Society, which recently honored him with its highest national award for conservation work. His favorite pastime is hiking, camping, or skiing in Colorado with his family, which he does at every opportunity. To explore T.A. Barron’s books, articles, and magical maps, or to read his Nature’s Voice blogs, visit www.tabarron.com.